US2366283A - Electric regulator - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 2, 1945. L. R. NIXON ELECTRIC REGULATOR Filed July 19, 194:5

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 2, 1945. L. R. NIXQN 2,366,283

' ELECTRIC REGULATOR Filed July 19, 1943 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 2, 1945. L. R. NIXON ELECTRIC REGULATOR Filed July 19, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 2, 1945 UNlTED ELECTRIC REGULATOR Leslie Reginald Nixon, London, England, assignor to J. Stone & Company Limited, Deptford,

England, a British joint-stock company Application July 19, 1943, Serial No. 495,333 In Great Britain June 8, 1942 '7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in electric regulators of the carbon pile type and is concerned with regulators wherein the magnet armature operates in opposition to a pile-compressing spring or springs. In such regulators wherein a clapper armature is employed the tilting pile is not possible at all unless the line of the hinge is completely outside the area of the pressure plate. Further, any unevenness in. the stressing of the pile results in uneven current distribution and therefore heating over the surface of the rings and this causes the life of the pile to be shortened. The object of the present invention is to ensure, by simple means, the stressing of the pile only in the direction of its axis and the limiting of the movable end of the pile approximately to a straight line movement in the direction of such axis.

According to this invention, a presser device engaging the movable end of the pile is guidingly supported so that it is constrained to move approXimately in. the direction of the axis of the pile only, and the said presser device is connected by flexible members with the armature device so that no unbalanced or tilting force can be applied to the presser device. The guiding support of the presser device is advantageously resilient so that the presser device is floatingly supported and able to adjust itself to any slight irregularity.

In order to enable the invention to be readily understood, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the application of the present improvements to a regulator in which the armature of the magnet is carried by a hingedly mounted plate or clapper.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation mainly useful for explaining the mounting of parts seen in Figure 1 but also showing a modified form of armature.

Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation illustraton the line IVIV in Figure 3 and as viewed from the right-hand side of that figure.

Figure 5 is a sectional plan View of parts seen in Figure 3, and

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation the section being taken on the line VI-VI in Figure 5 and as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrow heads.

Referring to Figure 1, aa is a laminated magnet structure of an electro-magnet, a being the core part and a being one of two side parts disposed externally of the energizing coil 1 Between the core part a and side parts a there are tWo parallel polar gaps I) only one of which is visible in Figure 1. The armature c is an inverted U-shaped piece presenting two blades 0 for entry into respective polar gaps b when the magnetization is sufliciently powerful for over coming the usual spring resistance. In Figure 1, the edges 0 of the blades 0 are contoured with curves to give a predetermined magnet pull characteristic. In Figure 2, a similar armature piece has the corresponding edges 0 of its blades 0 contoured with an inclined straight line for giving a different characteristic.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the inverted U- shaped armature piece is straddled and fixed upon a narrow end portion of a hingedly mounted plate or clapper d. The opposite and wide end of the plate d is formed with lateral extensions d for the attachment of two pairs of blade springs e and i, one pair at each side. Frame parts 9 of the regulator serve for the mounting of the springs cf in the following manner: The blade springs e which are perpendicular to the plane of the frame bars 9 are fixed at their ends by screws to respective end surfaces of the bars g and extensions d The blade springs f which are parallel with the bars g are fixed at their ends by screws one end being fixed on the upper surface of a bar ,1 and the other end being fixed against the under surface of an extension d The blades cf of a pair thus intersect one another at right angles, and, as will be clear from Figure 1, the blade 1 of a pair may be slotted to permit the associate blade e to pass through it. The blades of thus provide, in known manner, hinge mountings giving a fulcrum axis a: Figure 2 at the point of intersection aforesaid. The lateral extensions d are formed with stepped longitudinall extending lugs 11 for the attachment of a tension coil spring or springs, not shown. As will be apparent, particularly from Figure 2, such tension springs act at one side of the fulcrum axis :0 with a short lever arm to put the pile h under compression. The armature piece operating at the other side of the axis as, and with a much longer lever arm, is effective for opposing the action of the tension springs and for decompressing the pile h.

In Figure 1, the pile h is shown in a vertical position but in actual use the regulator would be turned through 90 so that the pile h would be supported horizontally. When, therefore. parts are hereinafter described as vertical or horizontal, these terms are used purely relatively and when having regard to the drawings. The so-called fixed end of the pile, not seen in the drawings, is supported by an adjustable screw abutment in known manner, adjustment of this abutment being effective for moving the pile h bodily endwise and so adjusting the position of the clapper d and armature c and the tension of the pile-loading springs. The movable end of the pile, seen in Figure 1. is engaged by a presser ring 7 which is connected with the clapper as hereinafter described. The presser ring 7' is supported by a vertical stiff guide strip k, the upper end of the latter being folded and bent horizontally and the folded part being attached by a screw to the flat end of 2. lug :i on the ring 7' as shown. The horizontally bent top part k of the strip is is fixed, as by the rivet shown, upon a flexible diaphragm 0r bow spring Z. The bottom end of the strip is is bent horizontally to form a foot 7: which is secured upon a lower bow spring 1 By this means, the presser ring :i is supported so that it is movable approximately in the vertical direction only but with the ability to adjust itself for the application of purely axial pressure to the pile h. The ring 9' is formed with lateral lugs 7' for the attachment of the upper ends of flexible connectors which may take the form of flexible metal strips m, Figures 1 and 2, the lower ends of these strips m being attached by screws m to the drop arms 01 depending from the wide end of the clapper. The flexible connectors m are thus attached to the short arm of the double armed lever provided by mounting the clapper d to hinge about the fulcrum axis at and owing to the use of the drop arms (1 the points of attachment m are beneath the level of such axis 1:. Thus, when the armature c is in the oil" position shown, the mechanical advantage of the tension springs attached to the lugs 11 and acting on the presser ring 7' through the connectors m is at a maximum. This is explained by the fact that the points of attachment m on the drop arms d may be regarded as being disposed similarly to a crank pin near to a dead centre. The attraction of the armature 0 into the polar gaps and the consequent pivotal movement of the clapper it, results in an elevation of the short arm of the lever and the moving away of the points of attachment m from the axis x, whereupon the tension springs compress the pile with reducing mechanical advantage. With the arrangement above described, the pile h is constrained to move, or be compressed, approximately axially and without incurring friction from pivot pins, sliding guides and the like.

The present improvements are also applicable to regulators of the type wherein a magnet operates a lever which is connected with a presser device at the movable end of a pile. In such regulators, and as illustrated in Figures 3 to 6, the magnet armature n, Figure 3, may be of the rotor type mounted on a shaft 0. A sector go fixed by its hub on the shaft 0 has connected to it one end of a steel tape q the opposite end of the latter being connected with a coil spring 1'. The magnet poles n attract the armature n against the resistance of the spring 1' and as the armature turns in one direction or the other, the tape q wraps or unwraps on or from the sector p. An arm s extending from the hub of the sector p is fitted with a pivot pin s and a block or link if pivotal about such pin s has connected to it one end of a steel tape or flexible connector u, the other end of the latter being connected with a bracket '0 on the end of a lever w movable about a pivot w This pivot is supported by bracket parts a: bent up from a frame part a: as shown in Figure 4. On a hub part of the lever 20 there is pivotally mounted a two-armed lever comprising a long arm 1/ and a short arm 1 This lever yy consequently turns about the same pivot axis as the lever w. At the free end of the long arm y there is mounted a split nut block 2 in which an abutment screw I is adjustable. One end of the screw I is formed with a milled head i which abuts against one end of a compression spring 2, the opposite end of this spring being supported against an arm on one end of the bracket 1;. The opposite end of the screw i extends to within a small distance of an arm on the opposite end of the bracket v. When the screw I has been adjusted to vary the compression of the spring 2 and to alter the amount of clearance between its free end and the adjacent arm of the bracket 12, it can be fixed in its adjusted position by tightening a screw .2 which causes the split nut block 2 to grip the screw At the free end of the short arm there is fixedly connected by screws one end of a steel tape or flexible connector 3, the opposite end of the latter being fixedly connected with a stiff bar 4. One end portion 4 of this bar is bent at right angles for attachment to a springy metal diaphragm 5 the other end portion 4' being bent to form one half of a Y-shaped fork, the other half of such fork being a part M which is secured by a screw 4 to the part 4', the connector 3 being clamped between the two parts and held by the screw 4 as shown. The ends of the fork parts 4*, 4 are bent at right angles at 4 for enabling such ends to be bolted to a springy metal diaphragm 6, as seen clearly in Figures 3 and 5. The diaphragm 6 is supported by attachment to a bent part m of the frame plate a: but the diaphragm 5 is supported by attachment to a spider 1 supported by a leg 8 connected with the framing of the regulator. Through the fork members 4 and 4 there is passed a pivot pin 9 which may be more or less stitlly clamped by a clamping plate to against a presser plate H. The latter, as seen best in Figure 6, is widened at each end for attachment by screws I! to two diamond shaped presser plates 13 which are active against the movable ends of the two carbon piles Id. The immovable ends of the piles I are supported against fixed abutment plates 18, Figure 5, mounted on the framing of the regulator. Each of the presser plates I3 is provided with a terminal 19, Figures 5 and 6, for the connection of an electrical conductor and each of the shutment plates l8, Figure 5, is provided with a similar terminal 19 When the magnet coil 20 of the regulator is not suiliciently energized for causing its poles n to attract the rotary armature n from the position seen in Figure 3, the piles ll are under maximum compression applied in the following manner: The spring r pulls on the sector p tending to turn the latter and the armature n clockwise, but this clockwise movement is limited by an adjustable stop 2 I, Figure 3. The consequentclockwise tendency of the arms s caused the link if to pull on the flexible connector u and this pull being transmitted to the bracket 22, the latter compresses the spring 2 and this presses the abutment screw I, l leftwardly. Thus the long lever arm y is pressed leftwardly and the short arm has a rightward tendency, thereby putting the flexible connector 3 under tension. The rightward pull thus applied to the bar 4 is transmitted by the pivot pin 9 see also Figure 5, to the presser plate H which in turn applies the effort to the two presser plates [3 which compress the piles i4. Owing to the pivot pin 9 the presser plate ii is able to adjust itself about this joint and thereby to equalise the degree of compression applied to each of the two piles l4.

When the magnet coil 20, Figure 3, becomes sufficiently strong for causing its poles n to attract the armature n against the resistance of the spring r, the armature moves counter-clockwise into the polar gap. The sector p moves similarly and winds on the tape q, and the arm 8 also moving counter-clockwise slackens the flexible connector u, so that the bracket '0 and its lever to can move to the right in Figure 3. At first, this movement permits the spring 2 to ex pand until the left hand arm of the bracket comes against the abutment screw l whereupon the lever w and long lever arm y swing rightwardly in company, and the short lever arm y swings leftwardly to decompress the piles. Under maximum pile compression conditions, the spring 1- holds the armature against the stop 2! as aforesaid and there is a clearance between the end of the abutment screw I and the left-hand arm of the bracket 2) as seen in Figure 1. Consequently, in such conditions, the compression of the piles is due to the spring 2 reacting between the bracket 12 on the lever w and the abutment screw 1 carried by the long lever arm y. The maximum compression of the piles is consequently very easily adjusted by turning the milled head I for increasing or decreasing the compression of the spring 2.

It will now be seen that with the bar 4 mounted for guidance in the manner described and with the flexible connectors employed for transmitting the efforts purely axial pressures are applied to the piles without incurring variable friction losses and in a thoroughly reliable manner.

I claim:

1. An electric regulator of the carbon pile type wherein an electromagnet is operative for decompressing the pile, comprising in combination a presser device engaged with the movable end of the pile, guiding means disposed externally of the pile and connected with said presser device and movable only in a direction parallel with the axis of the pile, and a flexible operative connection between the armature of said electro-magnet and said presser device, said connection being maintained under tension throughout the greater part of its range of operation.

2. An electric regulator of the carbon pile type wherein an electromagnet is operative for decompressing the pile, comprising in combination a presser device engaged with the movable end of the pile, a stiif guide bar operatively connected with said presser device and disposed externally of the pile and parallel with the axis thereof,

springy supports connected with the ends of said guide bar and permitting longitudinal movement only of said guide bar and a flexible operative connection between the armature of said electromagnet and said presser device, said connection being maintained under tension throughout the greater part of its range of operation.

3. An electric regulator of the carbon pile type wherein an electro-magnet is operative for decompressing the pile, comprising in combination a presser device engaged with the movable end of the pile, a stiff guide bar operatively connected -With said presser device and disposed parallel with the axis of said pile, springy supports connected with the ends of said guide bar and permitting longitudinal movement only of said guide bar, and flexible metal tapes constituting operative connections between the armature of said electro-magnet and said presser device.

v 4. An electric regulator of the carbon pile type wherein an electro-magnet is operative for decompressing the pile, comprising in combination a presser device engaged with the movable end of the pile, a stiff guide bar operatively connected with said presser device and disposed parallel with the axis of said pile, springy supports connected with the ends of said guide bar and permitting longitudinal movement only of said guide bar, a drop crank device operatively connected with the armature of said magnet, and flexible metal tapes connected between said drop crank device and said presser device.

5. An electric regulator of the carbon pile type wherein an electro-magnet is operative for de-- compressing the pile, comprising in combination a lever system operatively connected with the armature of said electro-magnet, a presser device engaged with the movable end of said pile, a stiff guide bar operatively connected with said presser device and disposed parallel with the axis of said pile, springy supports connected with the ends of said guide bar and permitting longitudinal movement only of said guide bar, and a flexible metal tape constituting an operative connection between said lever system and said guide bar.

6. An electric regulator of the carbon pile type comprising in combination a pile, a presser device engaged with the movable end of said pile, a stifi guide bar operatively connected with said presser device and disposed parallel with the axis of said pile, springy supports connected with the ends of said guide bar and permittinglongitudinal movement only of said guide bar, a two arm lever presenting long and short arms, a flexible connection between the short arm of said lever and said guide bar, and a second flexible connection between the long arm of said lever and the armature of the electro-magnet.

7. An electric regulator as claimed in claim 5, and wherein the lever system comprises a single arm lever and a two-arm lever, said levers being movable about a common pivot, one arm of the two arm lever being flexibly connected with the stiff guide bar and the other arm of such lever having an adjustable screw abutment, the single arm lever being fitted with a compression spring operative against said screw abutment and constantly tending to close a gap between said screw abutment and an abutment of said single arm leverand the last-named lever being flexibly connected with the armature of the electro-magnet.

LESLIE REGINALD NIXON.

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